Ski binding



J. M. PlANE Feb. 22, 1949.

SKI BINDING Filed May 15c 1947 Am, z

SY :Y

Patented Feb. 22, 1949 if- UNITED STATES PATE-Nr orti-crie:

l2,462,281 SKI BINDING John M.` Piane, Hanovelgv. H. Application May 13, 1947, Serial-No. '7471621y 4 claims. (ol. 28o-11.35) v fashioned leather strap typeof binding, which is not readily or easily attachable or detachable, and which does not permit the children to :get

into and out of them easily without aid,- and which does not hold the foot properly to the ski to-.promote-proper skiing technique. Accordingly, I .have .sought to devise ya ski-binding "which should have all ,the advantagesof thevexpensive cable type `of binding, but which would be relatively inexpensive, and would not require an expensive and specially-made type of ski boot for its successful use.

Briefly, my invention includes v.a round cable type of harness for attaching'the foot tothe ski, but having a cable made of relatively non-resilient material, such 'as plastic orrubb'er, or cord, such as nylon, vcotton or the like, and covered with plastic or rubber, andI providing limitedV or restricted stretchability, and which is `round at the toe and sides, and' havinga fiat strip of stretchable rubber'formingthe'sides and rear at the heel portion, and which is molded or otherwise attached to the round section, a releasable clamp for tightening the cable around the foot and soattaching the foot tothe ski, a metal Vvfoot plate secured tothe ski, witha rigid metal toe plate, cable side guides formed thereon, Vand a exible and adjustable toe strap. With such a binding, any ordinary boot can be used, with rubbers, or rubber overshoes if desired (as well as a ski-boot) and the binding will nt the shoe, and will hold the shoe resiliently attached to the ski at all times; The self-centering toe plate and cable permit the skis to be interchangeable left for right, and the fact that there is no rigid toe side irons reduces the possibility of twisting the ankles, as the foot is enabled to pivot at the toe and the heel is enabled to move from side to side under tension of the cable, and will be pulled back into position by the resilient portion of the cable.

Before explaining in detail the present invention it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of 2 Y. construction andarrangementfof'parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the-invention is capable of otherfembodimentsandfof being practiced or carriedy out inV various ways; Also lit` is to be understood that `the phraseolo'gy or terminology `employed herein is for the purpose of-,..de. scription and not of limitation,.and it is not intended to. limit the invention.claimedherein `be` yondfthe requirements of the prior art,` i t Other advantages andobjects. ofmy invention will appear in the `following specification and-accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is 'a Aplan `View of my ski binding;

Fig. 2 is a side elevationthereof; r

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on lines 3--3 of Fig. v1; and l Fig. 4 isa vertical sectiononlinesll-d of liig.1.`

In the drawings, Ill-represents .theski andfsecurely fastened thereto in proper position is a foot plate I2, 4preferably of metal, and yoffone piece construction. Mounted 'directly on the ski as by means of screws lI isl the' iiat rear` section I3, andl which has sidewise `extensions bent to curve slightly around the cable,2;ll..to form guides I4 for the cable. f The guides i4 ,thusprovide a snap fit to holdY the cable in place alongside :of the ski, but allow it to run freelythrough `the guide, Extending forwardly from the ,reansection I3 ofwthelfoot plata-is the solesection kI5 Vwhiclhis offset or elevated slightly above the Vplane of A,the section I3 to allow the toe strap Z'dtobe passed under the pole section I5 :andbetween it ,and the ski lil. A second set of screws I I passthrough the sole section I5 and the bottom of the toe strap 25 into the ski ID. The forward end of the foot plate I2 is slotted at `its middle about vone ,inch inwardly and the two pieces thus; formedare .bent upwardly and slightly rearwardly to form a toe plate I6. The plates I6 also incline slightly from the front center toward the sides so that the toe plate will automatically center the boot in the ski binding.

The toe strap 25 is a strip of leather or other suitable iiexible material passed under the sole portion I5 of the foot plate I2 and secured thereto by screws Il.r The free ends of the toe strap 25 are suitably perforated as at 21 and tied together as by a lacing 2li. An auxiliary row of holes 21a is provided to make the toe strap adjustable to fit varying sizes of shoes.

The cable 2B is made of rubber or plastic round at the frontand sides 2|, or is a rubber-coated or plastic-coated cord and having an inner core of a suitable libre such as nylon, cotton, fabric 3 or the like, and which round section of the cable is relatively non`stretchable, or of limited stretchability. Molded, or otherwise suitably attached, to the round section of the cable, is a ilat strip of resilient rubber 22 designed to pass around the rear of the shoe 30. The flat section 22 should be sufficiently resilient to'permit the heel of the shoe to rise at least two inches above the plane of the ski. Normally in cable-type bindings, the cable binds the specially-constructed ski-boot at the heel, which is grooved, to retain the cable, but in my construction, designed to be used with any type of shoe, or overshoe, the cable passes around the shoe above the heel, as shown in Fig. 2. The inside rear portion of the section 22 of the cable 20 cable against the back of the skiers shoe.

The cable 2D is adjustable to hold the skiers shoe tightly in the ski binding by means of the adjustable clamp 35 of conventional type, having a flat base portion 36 which is attachedA to the ski as by means of screws 31. The base 36 has two sides. 38 extending upwardly and at the higher portion thereof at the rear as at 39, the lever 40 is pivotally attached thereto as its bottom end. l Lever 40 carries on its forward end a 'flanged stop 4| and intermediate its ends as` at 42 a ladder 44 is pivotally attached thereto by means of its two side arms 43. At its rear end ladder 44 has formed therein a series of hooks 45 to receive the cable 20. The hooks 45 are bent forward on approximately the same radius as that of the cable, but the tabs at their extremities are bent downward and then up making it possible to snap the cable into place and hold it, at the same time allowing the .cable to run free of the hook. The clamp isA operated in the usual manner by raising the lever 40 to allow the cable .20 to be inserted under the appropriate hook 45 and the clamp is tightened by pushing the lever 40 forwardly and downwardly about its pivot which carries with it by a forward pull the ladder 44. 'I'hus tightened, the cable 20 holds the foot of the wearer forward snugly in the binding and against the toe plates I6.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a childs ski binding suitable for use with ski boots, overshoes, rubbers of any type, which is simple and economical, and which will hold a childs feet securely to the skis and without danger of twisted ankles and yet permit the children to get in and out of the binding without aid.

I claim:

1. In a ski binding, a metal foot plate secured to the ski and having a pointed toe plate formed at the front thereof and cable guides at the rear sides thereof, a toe strap of flexible material seis preferably cross-hatched. or otherwise treated at the section 23 to reduce slippage ofthe 4 cured to the ski by said toe plate, a relatively non-resilient cable of :flexible material having a resilient hat section extending around the rear of the wearers foot, and a releaseable clamp secured to said ski for pulling said cable tight around the wearers foot.

2. In a ski binding, a metal foot plate secured to the ski and having a pointed toe plate formed at the front thereof and cable guides at the rear sides thereof, a toe strap of flexible material secured to the ski by said toe plate, a relatively non-resilient rubber cable having a resilient ilat section extending around the rear of the wearers foot and a releaseable clamp secured to said ski for pulling said cable tight around the wearers foot.

\ 3. In aski binding, a metal foot plate of one piece construction secured to the ski and having a pointed toe plate formed at the front thereof and cable guides at the rear sides thereof, a toe strap of ilexible material secured to the ski beneath a portion of said foot plate, a relatively non-resilient rubber-coated cable having a resilient flatsection extending around the rear of the wearers foot, and a releaseable clamp secured to said ski for pulling said cable tight around the wearers foot.

4. In a ski binding, a metal foot plate of one piece construction secured to the ski and having a toe plate formed at the front -thereof and cable guides at the rear sides thereof,lsaid toe plate being slotted at the middle and sloped rearwardly from the middlel toward the sides of the foot plate, a toe strap of flexible material secured to the ski beneath a portion of said foot plate, a relatively non-resilient cable of rubber-coated iiexible material having a resilient flat section extending around the rear of the wearers foot, and a releaseable Vclamp secured to said ski vfor l pulling said cable tight around the wearers foot.

J Omi' M. PIANE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number' Name Date 802,251 Andersen Oct. 17, 1905 1,553,475 Schiess Sept. 15, 1925 2,153,809 Meis` Apr.. 11, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date` 24,087 Norway Dec. 29, 1913 40,064 Switzerland Sept. 25, 1907 63,158 Switzerland Jan. 25, 1913 

